Firefighters and police evacuated dozens of north Water Street residents from their homes around noon Wednesday when contractors laying new water mains along the busy road struck a natural gas supply line.

Deputy Warren Police Chief Joseph Loiselle said the accident may have been due to the inaccurate placement of marks along the road that indicate where buried utilities, including gas lines, run. With the prevailing wind coming from the southwest, residents north and just east of the gas break were evacuated. The accident occurred just north of the rear entrance to the American Tourister complex and the Mechanics Fire Company headquarters.

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This is the first gas leak associated with the Bristol County Water Authority’s $2 million Water Street main replacement project, which started in early May. Since the project began, there have been three water main leaks along the project route; the most recent two weeks ago was unrelated to the project work, Warren Town Planner Kate Michaud said.